Office of Health Equity

The Kentucky Department for Public Health, Office of Health Equity (OHE) was established in September 2008 to address health disparities among racial and ethnic minorities, and rural Appalachian populations. Grant support has been received from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health (OMH) since 2010. OHE supports goals and evidence-based strategies from the National Partnership for Action to End Health Disparities (NPA) to mobilize a statewide, comprehensive, community-driven, and sustained approach to combating health disparities and to move Kentucky toward achieving health equity. OHE also supports a wide variety of activities and services through partnerships with health departments, universities, nonprofit organizations and private health systems.

Goals

Increase awareness of the significance of health disparities, their impact on the state, and the actions necessary to improve the health outcomes for racial and ethnic minorities, rural, and low income populations of Kentucky.

Strengthen and broaden leadership in Kentucky for addressing health disparities at all levels.

Improve the health and health care outcomes for racial and ethnic minorities and for underserved populations in their communities.

Improve coordination and utilization of research and evaluation outcomes in Kentucky.